You know who you are.
We bring your style and spirit to digital life, in a way that is deeply authentic and truly distinct.
You know who you are.
We bring your style and spirit to digital life, in a way that is deeply authentic and truly distinct.
You know who you are.
We bring your style and spirit to digital life, in a way that is deeply authentic and truly distinct.
Who We Are
NewCity is a digital agency, specializing in creating user-friendly websites that inspire connection. We have 30+ years of experience partnering with clients to create and grow their websites, applications, and all the ways they engage with people online.
Who You Are
- Art & Design Institutions With Big Goals
- You cultivate artists and designers who lead societal change. Your website must reflect your vision.
- Your digital presence reflects your core values: equity, inclusion, and art’s transformative power.
- You seek a flexible, sustainable, accessible platform that grows with your institution, balancing the priorities of faculty, staff, alumni, board members, and donors.
- Your website is both beautiful and functional, engaging your community while serving diverse needs.
- Your content strategy must resonate with the creative spirit and visionary drive of your audiences.
- You aim to align your digital strategy with your broader goals, amplifying your mission and engaging your community.
What Do You Need Now?
Full Digital Transformation & Website Redesign
NewCity specializes in creating dynamic, visually compelling digital experiences that reflect your vision and serve your audiences. From research, UX/IA and content strategy to responsive, accessible design systems and CMS platforms- NewCity has every discipline in-house that is needed to plan, design and build your institution’s public-facing digital experience.
Enrollment Strategy & Services
At NewCity, we understand that art and design schools require a distinct approach to enrollment—one that builds student belonging while providing clear pathways to admission. We integrate enrollment strategies directly into your digital experience, aligning messaging with your institution’s identity and optimizing tools like Slate to drive student engagement.
Targeted Strategies and Improvements
When you aren’t looking for a full site redesign, we’ll work with you to improve specific areas of your website or strategy. Examples include UX and content audits, SEO, analytics setup, content overhauls, and performance optimization. We’ll help you prioritize the areas that will most improve experience and outcomes for your users, and your organization.
Case Studies
Beauty and Function: See how we've balanced stunning design with seamless usability for these creative institutions.
CalArts
The CalArts web redesign is a bold reflection of the institution’s unique multidisciplinary spirit and creative legacy.
Challenge/Goal:
CalArts needed a website that would authentically capture its ethos, engage multiple audiences, and improve the user experience for prospective students, faculty, and the broader community.
Solution:
In close collaboration with Handbuilt, a studio of CalArts alumni, NewCity transformed the visual language into a dynamic, accessible, and cohesive design system. The redesigned site reflects CalArts’ vibrant essence and creative diversity, supporting the needs of all audiences while offering an easy-to-manage, scalable CMS for ongoing content updates between all six schools.
Outcomes:
Organic search traffic increased by 10% vs. previous year
Engaged sessions increased by 7% vs. previous year
REDCAT Theater
A design system and platform that can keep pace with the dynamic spectrum of content and experience REDCAT offers.
Challenge/Goal:
REDCAT’s previous website did not reflect the innovative and contemporary brand the center wanted to project, and struggled to effectively tell the story of its dynamic artistic programming.
Solution:
The new REDCAT website amplifies its cutting-edge creative identity, telling a cohesive story through dynamic visuals and accessible content, reinforcing the brand’s position as a hub for innovative artistic experiences.
Outcomes:
- Increased site engagement
- Increased event ticket sales
- Increased international reach with livestreamed performances
Pomona College Benton Museum of Art
A site redesign that reflected a new museum home, with a CMS built for longevity, accessibility and functionality.
Challenge/Goal:
The Pomona Museum faced challenges with managing and updating content across multiple departments and timelines, resulting in inefficiencies and a lack of site cohesion.
Solution:
By implementing a flexible CMS and streamlining content workflows, we enabled the Pomona Museum to efficiently manage exhibitions and events, ensuring long-term sustainability and easy site maintenance for the future.
A Blended Team
Shared Expertise and Collaboration
NewCity specializes in creating dynamic, visually compelling digital experiences that reflect your vision and serve your audiences. From research, UX/IA and content strategy to responsive, accessible design systems and CMS platforms- NewCity has every discipline in-house that is needed to plan, design and build your institution’s public-facing digital experience.
Here’s how our team can support your success
- 30 years of experience serving higher education institutions
- 10 years of leadership within art schools
- Award-winning website builds, including the CalArts redesign recognized by CASE with the Gold Level Award
CalArts is a place where disciplines collide, boundaries dissolve, and radically new forms come together. A restless engine of experimentation and excellence, and the driving force behind every decision we made over the course of the project.
A Human-Centered Approach
Designing For All Humans Involved
At NewCity, we believe the best digital experiences come from truly understanding and collaborating with our clients. Our approach centers on listening to the unique needs of each institution, respecting its creative vision, and adapting in real-time. We know art and design schools require dynamic, flexible digital solutions that reflect their distinct identities.
We work closely with your teams to create engaging, sustainable digital experiences that resonate with students, faculty, alumni, and donors. By embracing your institution’s culture and values, we build systems that are both functional and meaningful, helping you achieve a unified digital presence that evolves with you.
NewCity design director Rodger Bridges reflects on an award-winning collaboration with CalArts
Connect with Robynne Lofton
Robynne leads enrollment services at NewCity. As a seasoned art school leader in previous roles, she understands your strategic priorities, and how to translate your vision to the web.
